Four Palestinian children from the same family have been killed by Israeli naval strikes on a Gaza beach, bringing the overall number of dead in Gaza after nine days of violence to 220.
The first strike scattered terrified children and adults on the beach. A second and third struck as they ran, setting fire to huts on the beach.
The strikes appeared to be the result of shelling by the Israeli navy against an area with small shacks used by fishermen.
Several children ran inside a hotel where at least three had shrapnel injuries.
Several hours after the strikes, the Israeli military described the deaths as "tragic" and said it was investigating the incident.
"Based on preliminary results, the target of this strike was Hamas terrorist operatives," the military said in a statement.
"The reported civilian casualties from this strike are a tragic outcome."
Israel, Hamas agree to temporary humanitarian truce
The deaths come as Hamas cautiously welcomes Israel's decision to commit to a five-hour truce on humanitarian grounds.
"The group agrees to a ceasefire for five hours," starting from 10:00 am (0700 GMT) Thursday, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zukhri said in a statement.
Earlier the Israeli military said it had accepted a UN request to halt its attacks on the Gaza Strip in what a senior United Nations official called a "humanitarian pause".
"Between 10:00 and 15:00 (0700-1200 GMT), the Israel Defence Forces will cease operational activity within the Gaza Strip and hold its fire," an army statement said.
Abu Zukhri said the same.
"The Palestinian factions agreed to accept the offer from the United Nations for a cooling-down on the ground for five hours starting from 10 in the morning," he told AFP.
"It is in the interest of all the citizens of Gaza, in order to give them a chance to go to the hospital, get health care or get food," UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, told Israel's Channel Two television on Wednesday evening.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, earlier told Israel's Channel Two television, that he had asked the military for a "humanitarian pause" in its Gaza offensive and that, if it agreed, he would ask Gaza militants to follow suit.
"If it happens, I will also call on Hamas and other militant factions to reciprocate, stop firing rockets and respect the humanitarian pause," his spokeswoman quoted him as telling the television.
"It is in the interest of all the citizens of Gaza, in order to give them a chance to go to the hospital, get health care or get food."
Meanwhile, the Israeli Army has warned residents to leave northern Gaza as an Israeli military official warns Israeli ground force troops are likely to be sent into Gaza.
“Every day that passes makes the possibility more evident,” an Israeli military official told reporters during a briefing at military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“We can hurt them very hard from the air but not get rid of them.," the unnamed official said, citing military protocol as the reason for the anonymity.
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